Foldable rack for drying of sweaters or the like



Sept. 30, 1958 E, MODOWALL ET AL 2,854,178

FOLDABLE RACK FOR DRYING OF SWEATERS OR THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1958 United States Patent FOLDABLE RACK FOR DRYING OF SWEATERS OR THE LIKE Thelma E. McDowall and Vere Y. McDowall, Wenatchee, Wash.

Application March 25, 1958, Serial No. 723,742

Claims. (Cl. 223-69) Difiiculty has always been encountered in the drying of sweaters or similar garments which, if hung up while drying, are likely to stretch out of shape. It is customary to lay them out on a towel or similar piece of cloth flat upon the floor, but, when this is done, there is no chance for air to circulate around and through the garment and the supporting towel, hence drying proceeds slowly. It is advantageous, however, to maintain the garment in a horizontal plane while drying since this precludes stretching and, for the most part, prevents shrinking. The latter is particularly the case when the material on which the sweater is laid out tends to cling to some degree to the sweater, and so to hold it against shrinkage.

There have been two kinds of drying racks proposed for the above purpose. One kind includes a frame which is intended to be inserted within at least the body of a sweater, or, in some instances, within the body and sleeves both, and which then holds the garment stretched to some degree. These are not particularly desirable since sweaters and similar garments are of varying sizes and shapes, and it is difiicult to devise an insertible frame capable of general application which still will fit accurately some one particular application. The other type of frame is one which, as illustrated in the patent to Smith, No. 2,714,978, of August 9, 1955, incorporates primarily a sweater-supporting piece of cloth and stretchers for stretching the cloth and holding it in a planar form, together with some means for suspending the rack thus formed. Such a rack is collapsible, but when collapsed it consists of several independent pieces, some of them fragile, and one or more of which may become broken or separated from the others, and thereafter the rack is unusable.

According to the present invention, such a rack is formed of a quadrilateral marginal frame inserted within a bag of absorbent and preferably clinging type of cloth, the whole of which is foldable without separation of any of the parts and which, when unfolded into drying position, incorporates preferably means for supporting the frame elevated and projecting laterally from a support such as a door, the top of a chair, or a similar support.

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a simple and inexpensive rack which is complete and unitary, which yet can be folded into small compass, but when unfolded is quite rigid, which will support the garment elevated and in horizontal position, and which incorporates a cloth bag that can, when needed, be removed and laundered.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in a representative form, and it is understood that this form is illustrative and not intended to be restrictive, except as may be required by the terms of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the frame members in loosely folded position.

Figure 2 is an isometric view, partly broken away, of the complete rack, including the cloth bag, with parts in the operative position.

See

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the first stage in the folding operation. Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figure 3 showing successive stages in the folding operation.

The rack includes two principal parts-a frame and a bag of absorbent cloth or similar material which in use encloses the most of the frame and is stretched by the frame and in turn makes the frame quite rigid, and which is held in a horizontal position to support a sweater S laid out upon the cloth bag. If the bag is of fiannelette or similar material which has a nap, the sweater will tend to cling to the nap and so will resist shrinking.

The frame consists of two rigid side members 1 and 2 preferably made of non-rusting wire, which in use are spaced widely apart. Two spaced-apart and rigid end members 3 and 4 of similar material hold the side members spaced apart, and complete a quadrilateral frame. One end member, 3, is pivotally connected at 31 and 32, at its respective ends, to the corresponding ends of side members 1 and 2. The second end member, 4, is pivotally connected at one end to one side member, as at 42 to side member 2, but at its opposite end is disconnectably securable to the corresponding end of the other side member 1. This latter connection is, for example, by way of a sleeve 10 fixed upon and extending lengthwise of the side member 1, and a hook 40 upon the free end of the end member 4, so arranged that its engagement with the sleeve 16 is by movement of the hook 40 inwardly of the quadrilateral frame formed by the unfolded frame members. Disengagement of the book 40 from the sleeve 10 requires movement of the frame member 4 outwardly of the quadrilateral frame.

The rack is completed by a bag 5 of absorbent and preferably clinging material, such as flannelette, toweling, or the like, of a size to receive snugly the quadrilateral framejust described and which is to be stretched when the frame is inserted within the bag 5. The frame is inserted within the bag with the frame set up; the end member 3 may be inserted first so that the end member 4 is disposed adjacent the open end of the bag. The two margins of the bags entrance are provided with means which interengage externally of the frame member 4, as for example, snap fasteners or the ties indicated at 50. These, tying exteriorly of the end member 4, prevent outward disengaging movement of its hook 40 from the sleeve 10. The frame stifiens and retains the quadrilateral form of the sack and stretches the same into substantially planar form for the support of the sweater S or similar garment, and in turn the bag prevents folding of the frame.

It is very desirable that the rack be supported elevated and in horizontal position. In order to accomplish this, hooks 11 and 21 are formed as rigid extensions of the respective side members 1 and 2, each hook being directed generally first upwardly and then downwardly,whereby they may engage over the upper edge of a door D or similar element to support the rack as a whole in horizontal position.

While it is evident that by releasing the ties 50 the bag 5 may be completely withdrawn from the frame and may be laundered if desired, yet this is not necessary at every usage, and it is preferred to fold the rack without removing the bag from the frame. This can be accomplished by following the procedure illustrated in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive. In Figure 3, the first step in the folding procedure is to release the ties 50 sufliciently that the end member 4 may be pulled outwardly and so disengaged from the side member 1. The end member 4 may then be hinged at 42 until it lies alongside the side member 2. The direction of folding is indicated in Figure 3 by the arrow A1 and the first folded position of the parts is shown in Figure 4.. Next, the side member 2 with the end member 4 alongside it, but externally of the bag, is folded about 9 a the hinge at 32 in the direction indicated'by the arrow A2, until the members .2 .and 4 lie alongside the .endmemher 3. This position of the parts is shown in Figure 5. Finally, the side member 1 is pivoted at 31 until it lies alongside the other frame.men1bers,;mov'mg as indicated by:the .arrow A3 intothe position Jshownzin :Figurerfi. In: the process the bag, still enclosingrthe dimme /members, has been folded repeatedly triangdlaryzintorsmal-ler:compass, and can be wrapped about the folded-frame :me'mbersttoleave a small elongated package- .Unfoldingtis accomplished'by reversing-theprocedure'jnst described.

A .further advantage [of :the bag '5 is-that an electric heating pad may :beinserted .therewithin, and by its.heat wilLhasten' the dryingfof the :sweater.

Varioustypes of snapped or'pile'fabrics,;in woven "or knit form, perhaps :of difierent :material-on top as compared to thaton the'zbottorn,xmay..be used:.for the bag. The more absorbentitheamaterial thetasterit will tend I to remove water from the sweater, :and if need be, a water-impregna't'edbag can .beremoved andta dryone 'subsorbent material enclosing said frame and of a size to be stretched by the same, and means to support saiduframe and bag in elevated, substantially horizontal position during drying.

2. A foldable rack as in claim 1, including a sleeve extending lengthwise of one side member and a hook on the second end member movable inwardly of the quadrilateral frame into engagement with said sleeve, to constitute th disconnectible engagement. 1

3. A foldable rack as in claim-2, including cooperating releasable securing means at opposite sides of the bags entrance, interengageable exteriorly of the frame, to maintain the sleeve and hook in engagement, and the frame in its quadrilateral 'form.

4. A rack asin claim .1, including similarly hooked rigid extensions of both side members, externally of the frame, constituting the means to support the frame.

5. A rack as in claim 1, wherein the bag at at least its upper surface -is ofa;material.tending"to cling to a sweater. supported thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,977,066 Jack 0ct.,1'6, 1934 2,110,666 'Hogan Mar. 8, 1938 2,170,126 Cleophas Aug.'22, 1939 --2,521,l00 Sublette Sept. 5, 1950 2,599,199 Rob rts 'June 3, 1952 2,680,542 Keller June 8, 1954 

